Gymnastics 1 - Lesson 3

In the third lesson of a Year 3 gymnastics series, students aim to perform contrasting shapes with some linking movements. The session starts with a ten-minute warm-up where the class teacher leads the pupils through gentle stretches and warm-up exercises. This is followed by interactive activities such as "High Five," where students travel around the space, freeze to perform a two-point balance, and give high-fives to peers. The warm-up concludes with pupils forming groups to create balances or shapes, eventually pairing up for the next section. The lesson's learning objectives focus on consolidating prior knowledge of shapes and creating a sequence by joining shapes together, with the success criteria ensuring that pupils can put these into practice.

The main part of the lesson, lasting thirty minutes, involves pupils creating and holding contrasting shapes, such as a Low Level Pike and a Medium Level Straddle, for three seconds. They work in pairs to explore these shapes and learn to link them using different points of contact. The key teaching point includes modelling how to link contrasting shapes, which helps pupils understand how to form a sequence with an entrance, two or three contrasting shapes, and an exit. The lesson encourages creativity and refinement as pupils prepare to perform their sequences to the class. After the performances, peers provide feedback, applying the key vocabulary and success criteria discussed earlier. The lesson concludes with a cool-down activity called "Sand and Sea," where pupils follow the teacher's instructions for various movements and then lie down to reflect on the learning experience.